A Shinobis Respect
by marrsbarz
Summary: *discontinued* This is a follow up from aNdreaa s story and will be going to someone else. Its time to bring Sasuke back. But first they need to slap some sense into that boy.
1. Pakuun and Konoha Shinobi

Chapter One

Sakura and Naruto had been running for a full day now, without stopping. Sakura, exhausted, but driven on by her adoration for Sasuke, and her will to see him again. Naruto...just driven on by pure stamina and perhaps the fact that maybe when they were finished with the mission, he could sit and have a proper bowl of ramen.

"Naruto, maybe we should take a break. If we spend up all our energy just by running, how do you think we'll bring Sasuke back? I'm pretty sure he won't go quietly," Sakura said.

"Fine, but not yet. Something's following us," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes. Sakura felt the presence too, but they both kept running.

"What do think it is?" Sakura said, without turning around to look.

"I dunno- maybe-" Naruto stopped abruptly and swung around, with a fist drawn back. Sakura sighed. Reckless as usual.

"OW! WHAT THE-PAKKUN!" Naruto yelled. Sakura kneeled beside him and widened her eyes. It was Pakkun-one of Kakashi's summoning dogs-who had the keenest sense of smell and eyesight. He had just collided painfully with Naruto.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"Whaddya think! I've been following you two- for the past two days...Kakashi wanted to keep an eye on you'll," Pakkun said, out of breath.

"Oh- well, did you have to be so darn scary? We thought you were a ninja or something!" Naruto pointed accusingly.

"Sorry-anyways, you'll are going the wrong way. Sasuke's that way," Pakkun said, gesturing to the right.

"How far away?" Sakura said in a low voice. Pakkun sniffed the air.

"Maybe about a half day's run- maybe more," he said, still sniffing.

"LET'S GO THEN! I CAN'T WAIT T-" Naruto started, but Sakura slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, Naruto! We can't let them know we're coming or they're sure to change their course."

"Where do think they're going?" Naruto said. Pakkun looked at him with his half drooping eyes.

"By the looks of it, Orochimaru's Castle."

Naruto and Sakura were silent. They had been there once before, but that was with Jiraiya. There was no telling whether they would come out alive this time- especially with Pakkun.

"Let's go," Naruto said automatically, and began to run from tree to tree. Sakura closed her eyes.

"Wait for us, Sasuke." And she followed Naruto, with Pakkun right behind her.

"Naruto..." Sakura said in a small voice a while later.

"Yeah?" He said without looking back at her. Sakura bit her bottom lip.

"Do you think Sasuke forgot us?"

It was such an incredibly long silence that Sakura thought Naruto ignored the question.

"No," he said defiantly after another long while. Sakura widened her eyes.

"No, what?"

"No, Sasuke did not forget us." Sakura smiled at this. Naruto continued,

"Did you forget Ino?" Sakura raised her eyebrows.

"Of course not!"

"And why is that?" Naruto said, still not looking at her. Sakura was genuinely surprised.

"Because...we've been friends (and rivals) for a long time."

"And Sasuke hasn't been our friend for a long time?" Sakura thought of this.

"Well, he has, but we haven't seen him in over three years and..."

"You haven't seen Ino or anybody else's cell (except for Gai's) either. Because you were training."

"That's true..." Sakura murmured.

Naruto turned around and flashed her one of his big trademark grins.

"He can't have forgotten us-even if he wanted to. We've known each other too long."

Sakura closed her eyes and smiled, still running. He was right.

"Thank you, Naruto."

"HEY!" Pakkun exclaimed, stopping abruptly. Sakura and Naruto skidded on a thick tree branch and swung themselves around back to Pakkun.

"What is it?" Sakura asked Pakkun breathlessly. He looked at Naruto and Sakura very solemnly.

"Sasuke's about a mile away- we're near the cliffs. Definitely towards Orochimaru's castle."

Naruto heard, but hardly believed. It was hard to believe that after months and years of searching, they were only a mile away from their mission. Of course, there would be fighting, but only a mile. That was hardly a five-minute walk.

"Naruto..." Sakura said blindly to him. She gripped his arm rather hard and gave a heartfelt smile.

"...we can bring him back, Sakura," Naruto said, wincing under her deathly strong grip.

"They're moving faster," Pakkun said. Ignoring this, Naruto turned to Sakura.

"Sakura...knowing Tsunade, she must have taught you a Trump-Card move," he said quickly.

"What?"

"A Forbidden, Special Technique."

Sakura looked down at her feet.

"Yes."

"Well, before we go to battle, I just wanna say..."

Sakura looked at him.

"...you might have to use that move."

Sakura widened her eyes. She couldn't help but feel the slightest bit afraid.

"We're ready, Pakkun," Naruto said, and they were off again. Naruto looked behind him at Sakura, whose face had fallen slightly.

It had to be only a walk around the park's worth when they found themselves braced on a massive tree, well hidden behind the leaves, and staring into the distance where they could see a Sound Ninja group of four walking towards a...village?

"There's a village here!" Naruto whispered urgently. "With people inside- we have to go help them! Sound's sure to kill everybody!" He was about to start of, but Sakura grabbed his arm.

"WAIT!" Pakkun gently leaped to another branch to get a closer look at the tiny village. There were only a few buildings- nothing like Konoha, but it had a tall gate stretching out on either side for miles.

"Wait a second...this isn't a village...this is...a Konoha Base!" he exclaimed. He leapt back to Naruto and Sakura.

"When Kakashi just became a Chuunin, the Hokage ordered that a base be built for several of Konoha's Jounin as a sort of border so that allies could pass through, but with papers permitting them to do so."

"Allies...like the Sand?" Sakura said. Pakkun nodded.

"This is the only way to get into Konoha village...except for, well..." he half glanced a look at Naruto.

Naruto knew what he was implying. His past battle with Sasuke was at the Valley of the End- another one of Konoha's borders. Sasuke had gotten away, and it had been Naruto's first attempt to bring him back to Konoha. He had lost.

"Well, we just can't let them enter first!" Sakura said urgently to Pakkun. "Like, Naruto said-they're sure to kill everybody inside the base!"

"No. This base hasn't been used for a long time...unless..." Pakkun said. He crept closer and sniffed.

"There are shinobi inside!"

"We have to go! Before the Sound get there!" Sakura whispered urgently.

Naruto searched the lower grounds for another way in.

"We can jump the gate," he said. Sakura looked at him in disbelief.

"Are you insane! That gate is over 20 feet high! There's no way we would make it-least of all, Pakkun!"

"We don't have another option or choice- but if you do, I'd like to hear it," Naruto snapped, watching the Sound as they got closer to the entrance border.

Sakura was silent. It was the first time Naruto ever said something to her so sharply. She smiled weakly. He wanted to get to Sasuke as fast as possible. She grabbed a kunai from her pack.

"Let's go then, Naruto. I'll trust you this time."

"We're gonna die," Pakkun groaned, but jumped to the gate nonetheless.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Sakura asked looking up. The gate seemed to reach the sky and it made them feel quite small as they looked up at it. It was a hard, steel, metal wall, with no openings.

"Um...I really don't know anymore," Naruto said, sweatdropping.

"Wait!" Sakura ran along the fence and looked closely at something perched on the border's gate.

"A...a bug!" Naruto said.

Sakura's sharp and insightful mind worked quickly.

"Not just any bug...this is...this is Shino's bug! Shino! That means Kurenai's team is here!" Sakura exclaimed.

On the other side of the gate...

"Byakugan!" Hinata whispered. "They're here! Sakura-chan and N-Naruto-kun and...a dog?"

"Probably Pakkun," Shikamaru said, rolling his eyes. "Met him a couple years ago after the Chuunin Exam. It's Kakashi's dog."

"Wait," Neji said in a harsh whisper, "there are Sound Ninja coming from over there." He gestured towards the border entrance.

"Sound Ninja?" Ino said. "With Sasuke-kun?"

There was a few seconds' silence before Neji answered.

"Yes. He's with them." Everybody went quiet.

"SHINO!" Sakura's voice came floating on the other side of the gate.

"Yup, that's my bug," Shino said, slightly smiling.

Naruto tapped the hard steel gate. "Well, how do we get in?" he said, pressing his ear to the wall.

"Go, TenTen!"

"HAI!"

Abruptly, Naruto was surrounded by kunai that had shoved their way through the wall to make a perforated door that trembled and then fell inward- with Naruto pinned to it with a few of TenTen's beloved kunai knives.

Their old friends, and Konoha's 9 shinobi were all standing around Naruto, who was still pinned to the fallen metal rectangle now lying on the dirt floor.

"Hehehe...hey guys...long time, no see?" Naruto squeaked.

this chaprter is by aNdreaa


	2. Shikamarus plan

Chapter Two

"Hehehe...hey guys...long time, no see?" Naruto squeaked.

Konoha's 9 shinobi- Gai's, Asuma's and Kurenai's team members were all standing around Naruto.

"Nice job, TenTen," Lee said. "Your youth is evermore glowing!"

"Thank you very much," TenTen said, and wrenched all the kunai knives out of the metal, setting Naruto free.

"What are you'll doing here?" Sakura asked, stepping through the door frame.

"Well, Tsunade assigned us a mission to wait here for you two, and then aid you in your pursuit," Kiba stated. Sakura turned to Pakkun.

"Pakkun- you've done your job guiding us here safely- now go back to Kakashi-sensei and alert him that we're continuing the mission. Tell him to come back to this base as fast as possible. We may need his help."

Without any questioning, Pakkun disappeared in a cloud of white smoke.

"Wow...we haven't seen you'll for..." Naruto counted off his fingers.

"3 years," Hinata said quietly.

"So, have you gotten any better in those three years?" Shikamaru said, simpering.

"YES I HAVE," Naruto said defiantly. There was a small silence as Kiba snorted.

"What was that?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, no- sorry...I just thought that you said you've gotten better," Kiba said, doubling over. Nearly everyone was holding in a laugh or smile now.

"Why you!" Naruto said, and a scuffle broke out, with Sakura and Ino trying to hold Naruto back. "Who was the one who kicked your butt in the Chuunin exam!"

"Naruto- PLEASE! We have a MISSION remember!" Sakura said weakly. This seemed to catch Naruto's attention quite quickly. He dropped Kiba's collar, who dropped to the ground in a daze and punched the air with his fist.

"ALRIGHT! WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? LET'S GO!" He cried, as if everyone else had been the one taking up time.

"We were waiting for you," Chouji grumbled as he stuffed a handful of chips in his mouth.

"They're entering," Neji said abruptly, breaking up the friendly atmosphere. Everybody peered at the entrance from behind the gate ledge to get a better look.

"I...I don't think this is a...a good idea," Hinata whispered nervously. Nobody responded. They all knew that she was probably right, but curiosity got the better of them.

At the Entrance...

"They're watching us," a Sound Ninja stated, but looking straight ahead.

"How many?"

"I...see only 11 heads. No bodies, though."

"Idiot. That's because they're looking from behind the gate ledge, Hirai."

"Yes...Sasuke-sama," Hirai said, bowing apologetically.

"They've been very impractical- making all that noise. Not that we haven't sensed that two of them and a dog have been following us for the past 2 days."

"Well, keep moving, Yumi. We can't let them know we've seen them. Two of them have Hyuga blood and the power of the Byakugan," Sasuke hissed coldly.

"Sasuke-sama, they're sure to ambush as we make our way through the base."

"I know, Kazuki," Sasuke snapped. The three Sound ninja and Sasuke continued moving at a quicker pace; their black cloaks trailing behind them.

"They've gone through the entrance," Neji whispered.

"What's your plan, Naruto?" Sakura whispered to him. Naruto's sweatdropped.

"Actually...I thought Shikamaru would be better at planning something..." he said feebly. Everybody raised an eyebrow at Shikamaru, who got on one knee, and drew a map of the Konoha base with a kunai in the dirt.

"Alright- Naruto, Sakura- this is the map of the base. There are six buildings here- one food storage, two inns, one outhouse, one meeting room, and one spare room that sometimes contains extra weapons and stuff."

Sakura and Naruto nodded.

"Now, Neji- how many Sound did you say there were?"

"Three Sound Ninja, and Sasuke," Neji said. Shikamaru mapped down four stick figures just past the base entrance.

"What's your plan, Sasuke-sama?" Sasuke smirked.

"Let's make a left here. I believe my old Leaf comrades are awaiting my arrival," Sasuke said, smiling.

"And then the fastest way to get to the-what's wrong, Kiba?" Shikamaru stopped and looked up. Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the suddenly still air.

"They're coming," he stated. "I can feel it."

"I can see them too, Kiba," Hinata whispered fearfully.

"They're about a quarter of a mile away," Neji stated. "Hurry."

"Okay." Shikamaru resumed his planning. "Me, Ino, and Chouji will take the left alleyway behind the base and behind all the buildings. If someone is following us, then we can just lead them away from the center road that leads completely outside the base and near the cliffs."

Ino nodded and Chouji stuffed his chips away and cracked his knuckles.

"T-They're moving faster, everyone!" Hinata said, starting to panic.

"Hush- Hinata-sama," Neji said. "Judging by the distance and the pace they're going at, it'll be about four minutes until they arrive."

"Crud-okay! Lee, Neji, and TenTen! You three will set up traps around the spare weapon room. If anyone is following you, then fight them off, and try to capture them."

They nodded.

"Hinata, Kiba- Shino. The three of you'll- go OVER the rooftops and wait on the last two buildings next to the base exit. Divide up and have Hinata and Shino cover the left roofs and Kiba and Akamaru cover the right."

Everyone nodded and Akamaru barked in a sense that he understood.

"This part of mission- our aim right now is to prevent the Sound ninja from leaving this base," Shikamaru said in utter seriousness, which surprised everyone.

"One minute and 20 seconds," Neji said urgently.

"Why?" Naruto whispered. Shikamaru looked surpised.

"What do you want us to do?" Sakura asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Shikamaru said. Both of them raised an eyebrow.

"Your mission is to track down Sasuke, and bring him back."

At this, Naruto grinned in anticipation. He couldn't wait to meet up with Sasuke at last.

"We'll try to fend off the Sound Ninja for you- you don't want anyone interrupting your epic battle, now, would you?" Shikamaru said. Naruto adjusted his headband.

"Let's go, Sakura."

Shikamaru dusted the ground so that the map and plan was no longer visible.

"We will meet at the fourth tree to the right just past the exit. Got it?" Shikamaru's leadership eyes wandered from his team, to Gai's, to Kurenai's, to Kakashi's.

"Alright! TEAM KONOHA! UP AT FULL SPEED! GO!"

They departed in a flash.

"They were here."

"Yes."

"Shall we hunt them down?"

"They will have separated by now- they have a plan."

"Which way should we go?"

"Follow the vibrations they're making with their running, voices- anything."

"Go. I'll take the left."

"Right."

"Roofs."

"What about you, Sasuke-sama?"

Sasuke closed his eyes, and completely ignoring the Sound Ninja, walked the dirt path down the center of the Konoha base- toward the exit and toward the cliffs.

This Chapter is also by aNdreaa


	3. First Stage with the Sound

SO sorry for such a loooooong wait, but I did a major update: I CHANGED SAKURA a bit in Chapter One, and it's important so i'd advise you to reread that one...and the spacing in the story is REALLY weird, so don't mind that...kay?

Chapter Three  
"Hinata, come on!" Kiba said. Shino pushed up his dark glasses.

"When do we split up?"

"How about now?" Kiba grinned. Akamaru started to whine. "What is it, boy?"

"Byakugan!" Hinata whispered. "There's a Sound Ninja heading on the roofs- oh, let's go, please!" She said fearfully.

"Hinata- you may have gotten stronger, but you're still fearful as always," Kiba said, smiling. "You and Shino take the left. Me and Akamaru will take the right. Hurry!"

They divded up and began running along the broken down wooden roofs.

"Hinata, are they gaining on us?" Shino said. She shook her head.

"There was only one, but I don't see them anywhere behind us."

"I have a gut feeling that they're still around," Shino muttered.

Hinata's hair ruffled as a wind blew past them.

"Something's not right," She murmured.

"HINATA! ON YOUR LEFT!"

A blast knocked Hinata off her feet and she slid dangerously off the roof and dangled to the depths of 30 feet.

"SHINO-KUN!"

"Hang on, Hinata!"

"I don't think so."

Shino whirled around. Tall, and cloaked, a Sound Ninja appeared, with his arms outstretched and his Sound Wave palms facing Shino.

"Who are you?" Shino demanded cooly.

"Kazuki of the Sound. I was ordered to get rid of a runt of a Konoha Ninja, and I think you qualify," he hissed. A loud 'boom' emitted from his palms and Shino fell apart into thousands of his tiny bugs, and reappeared behind Kazuki.

"So, you make clones with your bugs," Kazuki said as he dodged a blow.

"Not just clones," Shino said. The insects crawled into his hands a formed into a gleaming sword which he flung at Kazuki, who caught it by the blade.

"Impressive throwing speed. You cut my hand."

With effort, Hinata flung herself back onto the roof.

"AUGH!"

She swiped at Kazuki's neck, and hit an opening point. Kazuki whirled around and grabbed Hinata's wrist and twisted it. She winced in pain.

"Grr..." Kazuki spat out some blood and it landed in front of Shino's feet.

"That's what I think of you and your little friend," Kazuki hissed.

"SHINO, NOW!" a voice barked.

Shino made two more daggers and flung them towards Kazuki and as he deflected them, Kiba and Akamaru came soaring out of nowhere and collided with Kazuki.

"OW! WHAT THE-"

"Never underestimate a man and his dog!"

"Kiba-kun!" Hinata exclaimed.

"Sorry, I'm kind of late. I was on the roofs over there waiting for you'll, but you never came," Kiba grinned. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

"No problem," Shino said.

"TEAM AKAMARU! SPECIAL TECHNIQUE FORMATION!"

"BYAKUGAN! ACTIVATE- TWENTY DEGREES TO THE LEFT!"

Hinata's eyes grew determined and she flung a kunai, anticipating Kazuki's coming movements and it struck right on target. "GO SHINO!"

"KUCHIYOSE INSECT SUMMONING NO JUTSU!" Shino slammed the roof with his fists and as he pulled it up, a massive insect with clicking pincers rose out of the solid wood beneath them.

"SOUND ZANKUHA! SLICE OF THE AIR!" Kazuki bellowed, but the giant bug spread out its span of 15 foot wings, and shielded them from the blast.

"I never really liked bugs," Kazuki growled.

"LET'S GO AKAMARU! ULTIMATE GAROUGAZA- INUZUKA STYLE!"

"WHAT THE-" Kazuki said, amazed at the monstrous creatures before him. Kiba and Akamaru molded together into a fantastic, two-headed, wolfish-looking dragon.

"SHINO NOW!"

But as Shino began the second part of their formation, Kazuki aimed another Vibration Sound Blast at Hinata, who became suspended in mid-air.

"HINATA!"

Her Byakugan eyes widened in fear as Kazuki, below her, raised his palm, which let out a screeching, ringing, sound. It pierced through all of their eardrums and they clapped their hands over their ears to shield themselves from the horrific noise...until they heard the growling.

"I can do a summoning too, you know," Kazuki hissed as a shadow grew behind him.

It was the ugliest and nastiest thing Hinata, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru had ever seen. Its body looked like it was in the process of melting off a green-like slime and it had hawk-like orange eyes that were fastened on a head with three horns. Its back was scaly, and green from the slime, and its horrific claws looked capable of knocking them all off the roof in one blow.

Shino and Kiba glanced upward at Hinata, who was falling like a bullet down to earth, and that could only mean one thing.

"HINATAAAA!"

"Too late," Kazuki snarled. The monstrosity of the slimy creature raised a claw and whacked Hinata like a baseball. Her limp body flung sideways and soared over four roofs before she slammed into the top of the inn next to the Konoha Base exit. The roof crumbled beneath her and she fell through.

At the Weapon Room...

Lee jumped from the roof and landed on the ground in front of TenTen.

"I'm done!" He announced proudly. TenTen rummaged through her bag and pulled out a kunai with a letter bomb fastened to it and some thin string.

"The most basic trap in the Shinobi Skill Set," she said. "Do this one around that tree and connect it to the roof."

"They'll mock us for doing so, TenTen," Neji said, coming up to her.

"Yes, but we'll defeat them before they do so."

BAM.

"What-?" TenTen flung out a kunai for self-defense and hastily looked around.

"Across- the street- is that...HINATA!"

Neji's head snapped up and darted across the street.

"Hinata-sama!"

"NO NEJI!" TenTen grabbed his arm just in time. "This is their fight- they'd be disappointed for us to be involved."

"That's my cousin!" Neji growled.

"We have to get out of range! Someone could see us!" TenTen whispered urgently. She pulled Neji back from the broken building in which his Hinata lay, unconscious.

"TenTen! Neji" Lee ran towards them. "GET OUT OF RA-!"

BOOM.

The whole section of the street blew up and the three of them were sprawled on the doorstep of the Spare Weapon Room.

"Ow..." Lee groaned, he rolled over and jumped to his feet.

"They're here," Neji said, wiping the blood off the corner of his mouth.

"What's our plan?" TenTen said, whipping out her gigantic scroll.

"Lee can lead them towards one of the traps in the northeast corner. We can come from behind or above on the roof. You have everything prepared?"

"As always."

"Go!" Lee cried. "At full power of youth!"

"What if there's more than one?" TenTen cried over an explosion coming from the entrance.

"Or how about just me?" All three of them looked up and froze.

The second member of the Sound was perched on the roof, looking down on them and clutching a few kunai with letter bombs strapped to them.

"I believe these are yours," he said, and threw them down.

"MOVE!"

A second explosion took place and blew off the corner of the building. It made a crater deep in the ground. Neji tackled TenTen around the waist and they were both thrown into the dirt street once more. Lee leaped onto the roof and stood tall before the Sound Ninja.

"Who's this geek?" he said rhetorically.

Lee raised up his hand and got into his Taijutsu stance.

"Konoha's Blue Beast, Rock Lee, your opponent."

"Very well." The Sound Ninja swept out more tags with seals written on them.

"Ultrasonic Wave bombs. I'd suggest you take care," he said, starting to perform some seals with his hands.

Two doppelgangers appeared behind them and advanced on TenTen and Neji, below.

"I am Hirai of the Sound- the unstoppable and elite Ninja," he said, and threw the tags in the air, where they exploded. Half of the roof was blown off and it carried Lee with it. He landed on his feet, and vanished- appearing again behind Hirai.

"Konoha Hurricane!"

Lee's leg swung out of nowhere and connected with Hirai's face. The Sound Ninja sprawled across the roof and landed with a 'thud'. Lee resumed his stance.

"Pure Taijutsu...I see," Hirai said, getting up. "Not bad for a runty Konoha Genin!" He aimed a Supersonic Wave at Lee, who dodged it, and aimed another attack at Hirai.

"Ultra-Gale Force Technique!" Lee spun around and his leg tripped Hirai, who did a somersault and hit the roof once more.

"I am no Genin. I am a Konohagakure Chuunin!" Lee proclaimed, rather loudly. From the street, Neji and TenTen sweatdropped.

"You can hear him all the way from over here..." TenTen muttered.

"Get up. Two more are here," Neji stated and got into his Hyuga Stance. Hirai's two clones had arrived.

"Let's go," TenTen said. She unraveled the scroll and cut her finger, smearing the blood in a long line and then performing the seal.

"Special Kuonichi Technique! Wind Assault!" Out of nowhere, hundreds of kunai and shuriken began hurtling their way at Hirai's doppelgangers.

"These aren't water doppelgangers..." she murmured as the clones merely knocked the weapons away. Neji stood back to back with TenTen, both of them bracing themselves for a blow and the clones surrounding them.

"This is like Naruto's Kage Bunshin- the SHADOW CLONE!" Neji said, and flung himself away just in time.

"AAAAARGH!" One of Hirai's clones had suddenly multiplied into two more and they had slammed into TenTen, knocking her even further across the street. She rolled over, face-first in the dirt.

"TENTEN!"

Neji touched the ground and did a sort of graceful bow. This was his Hakke 64 Hands Stance. The symbol of the Hyuga accentuated even more on his young forehead as a large yin-yang encased in a double circle expanded from his feet. He was in the center of the Hakke Circle and closed his eyes, as if in a prayer.

"What!" Hirai's clone outstretched his palms to blast Neji away, but he had already begun to strike.

"HAKKE TWO HANDS! FOUR HANDS! EIGHT HANDS! SIXTEEN HANDS! THIRTY TWO HANDS!" As each of these steps of the jutsu were performed, the clone began to feel the ceasing of the chakra as his opening points were quickly being sealed and closed, preventing any chakra from flowing out.

"SIXTY FOUR HANDS!" Neji yelled and performed the last strike to the neck. The clone collapsed before Neji's feet onto the ground in loss. Neji narrowed his eyes. If this was a normal Shadow Clone, it should have vanished by now. Unless...

"...they're real!" TenTen said, 12 feet away from where Neji had suddenly realized the same thing. She had gotten up and successfully knocked out the three "clones".

"NEJI! WHAT IS THIS!" TenTen cried as her three opponents stood up, stumbling.

"I don't think they're fake clones," Neji said calmly, holding up two fingers in front of his face. "Byakugan!"

The inside of the Hirai duplicate was the same as any other human being's. Opening points, inner chakra coil system, a heart and a pair of lungs.

"They're just...real?" Neji muttered. "Impossible..."

"I'm afraid not," the clone spoke for the first time. Hearing this, TenTen whirled around.

"What?"

"Every single one of my duplicates is another one of me. Same strength, same chakra, same abilities. I can make up to a thousand if I like. We won't vanish like regular clones."

"I-Impossible," TenTen stammered, clutching a kunai deep in her pocket.

"Absolutely possible," Hirai stated and pulled his mouth in a sort of leering type of smile.

"Be prepared, Konoha Leaf Ninja. This is your end."

"This could be bad," TenTen said weakly as she unraveled her scroll once more.

"Maybe," Neji said, getting into his stance, again.

"I wonder how Lee's holding up."

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Another Chapter by aNdreaa


	4. Boar, Deer, Butterfly

SORRY ABOUT THE LOOOOOONG WAIT!  
Chapter Four

Boar, Deer, and Butterfly!  
"Hmmm."

"Shikamaru..."

"Hmmm..."

"Shikamaru!"

"Hmmm..."

"SHIKAMARU!"

"WHOA! WHAT? WHAT! Can't you see I'm thinkin' here!" he jumped and collided painfully with a trashcan.

"Well, all those 'hmms' are kind of annoying!" Ino said.

"I'm thinking of a plan."

"Can't we just do our old boar-deer-butterfly formation?" Chouji said. He had started eating again.

"It might not be strong enough, but maybe it can serve as a distraction if we use it with the bunshin." Shikamaru took out a scroll and marked something on it and thought again.

"Unless..."

"Our bunshin isn't that strong," Ino stated.

"But it could serve as a diversion," Chouji said.

"Chouji, put away your chips. Let's go," Shikamaru said, rolling up the scroll and getting up. "They're here."

Right on cue, a blast knocked them all backwards and they were thrown onto their backs through the wall in a building, which collapsed from its lack of support.

"AAARGH!"

"Finally. You know how long it took me to find you Konoha wimps?" The dust from the ground cleared away and a woman in a long, sweeping cloak flapping out behind her, appeared.

Shikamaru, Ino, and Chouji got to their feet, coughing, and throwing off the broken boards of wood and the remnants of the wall.

"Oh, man..." Shikamaru said when he caught sight of her. "Not another woman..."

"Woman or not," Ino snapped, "We still have to fight her."

"How naïve of you," she said. "Yumi of Sound. I take it you are all Chuunin?"

"Yes," Shikamaru snarled. "Let's go-! BOAR-DEER-BUTTERFLY FORMATION!"

"Basic!" Ino cried, slapping her hands together as if in a prayer. "Art of the Valentine! Astral Possession!"

"What-Ino, NO! If we kill her, we kill you too!" Chouji cried, darting forward.

"WAIT!" Shikamaru cried, thrusting out an arm to stop Chouji. "Look!"

"NINPOU SHINRANSHIN! MIND-BODY CONFUSION TECHNIQUE!"

Ino had indeed done her Valentine Technique, but in a different sense. She held out her fingers gracefully and put her thumbs and forefingers together-capturing Yumi's lungs and heart in her perspective zone.

"She's struggling," Ino stated, gritting her teeth. "Go, Chouji! You have five minutes- max! Shikamaru- help me hold her down!"

Chouji bowed his head in concentration, and clasped his hands together.

"Partial Mulit-Size Technique..."

"Wha-?"

"You guys aren't the only ones who have developed a new technique," Chouji said, smiling. Yumi widened her eyes as she tried to resist Ino's jutsu.

"I don't have much of a chance in my normal state, but...BUNBUN BAIKA NO JUTSU!" As if something had exploded, the ground beneath Chouji began to crack as visible chakra threads swirled around him. Abruptly, one of his clenched fists began to grow at an alarming rate until it was bigger than his own body. With a grunt, he hurled it at the Sound Ninja and with a gasp, she soared ten feet backwards and lay sprawled across the ground.

"Holy-Chouji, where'd you learn THAT!" Ino cried, releasing her fingers. Chouji grinned as his fist shrank back.

"I've been training." Shikamaru grinned.

"Hey, Ino, looks like I didn't have to help you after all."

"You will now- LOOKIT!"

Yumi had gotten up once again and fired a blast at them, but Chouji stepped in the way and with his expansion art once more, he shielded the three of them from damage.

"Chouji, you didn't-"

"What a touching moment," Yumi said, panting slightly. She threw back her cloak and whipped out several mirrors that were positioned in between her fingers. Her smile was more of a twisted grin and to their horror, fire-black marks began spreading their way across her face. Orochimaru's curse.

"...but it's time to get serious. WATER TSUNAMI!"

Caught unawares, the three of them instinctively winced to receive the blow and they weren't disappointed. The blast caught Chouji face first and he flew backwards, colliding with Ino and Shikamaru.

"It's too bad you'll are so young. You could have tasted more in life," Yumi hissed as she raised the mirrors again. The coils of water twisted themselves into large, bubbly hands and they gripped several kunai and fired them directly at the threesome.

"DON'T YOU DARE-NO! I SAID, NO!" Ino's voice was soon drowned out by Chouji's wild cry. He leaped up and all of the knives pierced him, blood spattering on the dirt floor.

"I won't," he coughed, "ruin the plan."

"SCREW THE PLAN!" Shikamaru yelled, getting up. "She'll drown us anyhow!"

"Good choice," Yumi said, smiling. She fired a bullet of water that soon encased Ino in a clear bubble. "Like this, your little friend has no more than 10 minutes of life." Ino gagged and clawed at the watery case surrounding her, but her efforts were completely useless.

"Shoot," Shikamaru whispered to himself. His brain racked quickly for the next idea at hand.

"CHOUJI!" he cried, darting towards him.

"I don't think so," Yumi said. A rope of water caught Shikamaru in the stomach, and he was thrown back, but got up an instant later, hurling a shuriken at Yumi.

Ino scrunched up her eyes in concentration.

Focus all my chakra in my feet and explode off the ground...

"Heh, Sakura. Isn't that what you used to do?" Ino smirked recalling on the time they had battled.

BANG.

She shot out of the bubble like a bullet and hit the ground, coughing and gasping for breath.

"It made it," Shikamaru whispered. "CHOUJI! HOLD ON FOR A FEW MORE MINUTES!"

Chouji coughed, but got to his feet. His clenched fist was shaking.

"Roger that," he said, smiling.

"I think..." Shikamaru said, staring at the now cursed Yumi, "it's time to revert to plan B."

"WHAT!"

"ARE YOU NUTS! YOU JUST TOLD ME TO HOLD ON!"

"SHUT UP!" Shikamaru said, clasping his hands together in a jutsu. "REVERT TO PLAN B! TRUST ME! WE HAVE NO CHANCE IN THIS STATE AGAINST HER STUPID CURSE! REMEMBER SASUKE DURING THE CHUUNIN EXAM!"

"...a-are you sure?" Ino said, her voice trembling.

"Positive," Shikamaru said, a slight smile forming.

"READY!"

"HYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

With a bang, what was left of the building, crumbled and in the midst of it all were Shikamaru and Ino, smirking in triumph.

"WHAT!" Yumi snarled and then fired another round at the team standing directly in front of her. One caught Ino in the stomach...and she disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"No way..."

Shikamaru disappeared also, and the two team members were standing in the middle of all the debris made by the building.

"Bunshin no Jutsu," Chouji said. "Shikamaru and Ino's bunshins were the ones who have been fighting you all along."

"Impossible!" Yumi cried, stumbling backwards. "Then, what about your jutsus!"

"We've been doing all the attacks ourselves to mask the ones our bunshins were doing," the real Shikamaru stated. "You've been attacking our clones for over half an hour, and it's done nothing. That's why we had to use Chouji as a shield; so we wouldn't disappear too early in the game."

"Too bad," Ino said, raising out her fingers and lining them up with Yumi in her eyesight once more. "My jutsu is more powerful the closer the predator is to the victim."

"Let's go! Plan B!"  
Kinda dull, but the meeting with Sasuke is the next chapter! PLEASE REVIEW! No flaming though!

Another Chapter by aNdreaa


	5. To team seven

Chapter Five

To Team 7!  
"NARUTO! SLOW DOWN!" Sakura lunged forward and grabbed him by the collar of the shirt. "If we rush, we'll make a mistake and overlook any traps they've set for us."

"But..."

"You go that way," Sakura ordered. "If you find anything, yell out. Just..."

She cast her eyes downwards and bit her lip.

"...if you find him, bring him back."

Naruto grinned.

"I haven't forgotten my promise yet, Sakura-chan."

"Huh?"

"It was a lifetime promise. I'd fulfill it before I get the chance to die." Sakura smiled.

"Okay. I'd better see you soon."

As Naruto dashed off the other way, Sakura sighed and then froze. Was there someone following her? She whipped around, stepping back and narrowing her eyes.

"Who's there?" she cried out warily. She glanced around taking in her surroundings. Abruptly, she heard a slicing noise and instinctively ducked just in time. A shuriken whizzed by above her a split second later, and another stabbed the ground in front of her. Sakura dug her palm into the dirt and flipped over on her back. Another throwing star punctured the ground next to her cheek and she gave a gasp of surprise. At last, a whole barrage gave flying at her and she flipped over onto her stomach, and burst off the ground and skidded backwards to find her attacker.

As her eyes searched, she came upon her old comrade; the young black-haired boy she had once known and come to like. His eyes were already bearing the sharingan. He wore the same cool, stubborn, collected face he had had for so long.

Sakura squeezed her fist so hard that her nails formed a cut in her hand. She bit her lip.

"Hello," Sakura whispered under her breath.

"Is that how you greet me after three years?"

"You haven't been exactly cordial either."

"It's been a long time," Sasuke said. "You've changed."

"Don't start," Sakura snapped. She pulled out a kunai and stood up. "I can't believe how stupid you've been."

"I am an avenger," Sasuke stated.

"And you have no use for comrades," Sakura finished. "Bull."

"Listen, Haruno," Sasuke said, flexing out his hand. "Where's Naruto? I'd like to talk to him."

"You mean kill," Sakura gritted her teeth. "You'll have to step over my dead body first."

"I said, 'talk'," Sasuke said, coldly. "But if you insist I kill him, I won't resist."

"That's not what I said!" Sakura cried. She took a step back and mentally slapped herself. She still was the scared little girl three years ago. Had she not progressed in feelings at all? When it came to the end, would she have the courage to kill him? And if not, would she watch him die?

"I've been training," Sakura said clenching her fist even harder. "You won't beat me easily."

"But I will still beat you," Sasuke said, almost nonchalantly.

"I'm not going to die," Sakura said, narrowing her eyes. "Not until I drag your body back to Konoha."

"Threatening," Sasuke smirked. Sakura wanted to slap him.

"Don't underestimate me!" She cried, holding out the kunai in defense.

"You sound like Naruto," he scoffed at her, glancing at the knife shaking in her hands. "But you haven't even the slightest heart to hit me."

BANG.

Sasuke skidded back several feet, and wiped his bleeding mouth, raising an eyebrow.

"Would you like to reconsider that?" Sakura said, angrily.

"Maybe," he said, getting up. "Your punches aren't very strong."

"STOP TUTORING ME!" Sakura screamed and hurled her fist at him. Sasuke didn't show any sign of dodging, and when he landed on his back, Sakura became utterly bewildered.

"Why aren't you defending yourself?" she demanded. Sasuke got up once more.

"There's no need to waste my energy. It's not like they hurt." Sakura narrowed her eyes.

"Shut up," she breathed. "I want a fair fight! Won't you at least give THAT to me! I have NOTHING ELSE!" With a wild cry, she slammed her fist into the ground and it broke in half under Sasuke's feet, who stumbled.

"Impressive," he muttered. Skillfully, he dodged the blow, and appeared behind Sakura. She widened her eyes.

"Maybe I will fight you after all."

"!"

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

Naruto's foot came out of nowhere and connected with Sasuke's chest.

"Naruto!" she exclaimed, but he wasn't listening. He glared at Sasuke, who was sprawled on the ground a few feet away.

"Long time no see," he said coolly.

"Not long enough," Naruto snarled. "I've gotten so sick of you."

"Really?" Sasuke stood up for the third time. "I've dreamt about actually killing you."

Naruto widened his eyes, but Sakura got there first. She had never been so angry in her entire life. With swift and practiced speed, she appeared in front of Sasuke and with tears in her eyes, wrenched her fist clutching the kunai back and hurled it into his chest, and it tore to the other side of his back.

Her arm went straight through.

Naruto widened his eyes in disbelief. He knew Sakura was strong, but he would have never thought that she would have the courage to stab Sasuke and go physically through him. Sakura was shaking, the warm blood flowing over her arm.

"You really have grown," Sasuke whispered to her. Sakura looked up. She could've sworn she had heard a the slightest bit of remorse strangling in his voice, but the thought quickly disappeared as he grabbed her wrist, and threw her to the side like a doll.

"I don't need comrades anymore," he stated stonily. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Ergh...you!" He was tempted to kick him again, but rushed over to Sakura's aid.

"You really need to learn. You won't get anywhere by spending your days with losers like her," Sasuke said, staring at them. Naruto stayed silent, and with a swift movement, he flung out a kunai. Sasuke raised his arms instinctively, but nothing came. As he looked closer, he saw that Naruto had a knife up to Sakura's throat, and she was choking.

"What the-"

"NARUTO!" Sakura screamed. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto bellowed, silencing them both. "No need for comrades, Sasuke? HUH! THEN IF I KILL HER, YOU WON'T CARE!"

The knife did not ease up on Sakura's throat. She struggled.

"Naruto, you've gone mad! What are you doing!" Tears leaked out of her eyes. She thought losing Sasuke was bad, but Naruto too?

"..." Sasuke stayed silent, staring at him. "You wouldn't kill her."

"YES I WOULD!" Naruto's fist gripped the kunai harder. "SINCE YOU DON'T NEED HER, RIGHT!"

"Then go ahead," Sasuke said, a glint in his eyes. Naruto smirked.

"Fine."

Naruto grasped the kunai and plunged it straight into her arm. She let out a piercing scream, and the pain shot through her, tears running down.

"The next one goes straight through her heart, Sasuke," Naruto warned. "If you honestly have no need for comrades, then she'll die straightaway."

"Naruto..." Sakura raised a hand to heal the wound, but he slapped it away. Sakura winced. What was he doing? If this was his plan, she would surely kick him later for it. Naruto was still glaring at Sasuke who was staring nonplussed back at them.

"FINE!" With a yell, he brought the kunai above Sakura and brought it down.

"NO!"

With a poof of smoke, Sasuke appeared between them, gripping Naruto's wrist extremely hard, and kicking Sakura's stunned body behind him.

"Heh," Naruto said, smiling. "I knew it."

Sasuke was breathing rather hard. Sakura got to her feet, trembling and stepped back in disbelief. All part of Naruto's stupid plan? Yes...Naruto was a complete idiotic genius. He had restored her confidence. She brought up her palm over the wound and wincing, healed it quickly.

"Look who's getting soft now," Naruto said, smirking. Sasuke let go of his wrist.

"I saved her because I wanted to kill her myself."

"Yeah...suuuuuuureeee..." Naruto said, fanning his hand. Sakura sweatdropped.

"You just proved to us that you DO want your comrades," Naruto spat. "It's not good to like, Sasuke. Watcha' gonna do?"

Sasuke threw back his cloak and pulled out a katana, pointing the tip at Naruto's throat, who gulped.

"I don't need comrades."

REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWW! No flamersssssss

Another Chapter by aNdreaa


	6. Saved and Childish bickering

Whoa. Haven't updated in like, a million years...anyways, I'm SO sorry...I've been so addicted with my other fics, and haven't been paying attention to this poor lil' guy...anyways, review, but no flaming please! Thanks for waiting so uh...patiently? Hee...  
Chapter Six

Saved and Childish Bickering  
"HINATAAAAAA!"

"SHIT! WHERE IS SHE!"

"Worried I see?" Kazuki smiled.

"You're going to pay for that!" Kiba bellowed. "GO, AKAMARU!" The dog swallowed a soldier's pill, and trembling, began to turn a shade of dangerous crimson. Akamaru lunged headfirst and sunk its teeth into Kazuki's unaware wrist.

"Stupid mutt," he hissed. "It'll take, a thousand dogs to beat me." As he spoke these words, the familiar of Orochimaru's curse began to spread over not only him, but the summoned monster behind him. With a cry of triumph, he fired a sonic wave that shrieked for miles around, with Akamaru flying back helplessly...but something was different. With a rocking motion, Kiba and Shino felt the floor beneath them shift, and the sky was turning an odd color of...red?

"Damn it," Shino whispered. "KIBA! THIS IS GEN-"

"Genjutsu," Kiba finished, closing his eyes. "STOP YOUR CHAKRA FLOW, SHINO!"

A powerful wind swept the roofs around them as something erupted inside Shino and Kiba. They had grown a great deal and were now best comrades who had taken a silent oath to protect Hinata...but they half-heartedly acknowledged that she would probably take care of herself on her own.

BUT WHERE THE HELL WAS SHE?  
Hinata groaned as she felt a searing pain in her left arm. With a sinking heart, she used her Byakugan to realize it was broken. Gritting her teeth, she kicked off the slabs of the roof that had fallen on her and coughed slightly. She had flown, what- 3 houses back? Painfully feeling her face, half of it was probably bruised and she felt as if her ribs were crushing in on her lungs.

"I have to find Shino and Kiba," she whispered to herself. Leaping back up on the roof, she darted back to her starting place.  
With the monster behind her, Kazuki's lip curled when Kiba and Shino backed up, unharmed by the failed genjutsu.

"I never knew you could get this good by staying in such a weak little village," he snarled and before the boys of team 8 could realize what had happened, the monster raised a disgusting hand to fire a punch.

"HEY YOU!"

This scream shattered the tense moment, and distracted, the monster roared in pain as a barrage of kunai knives sliced off its precious hand. It fell to the dusty ground with a sickening thud and the slime spread around it like a contaminated pool.

Kazuki whipped around and almost laughed out loud. Who was this stupid girl to think that she could be okay after being swatted like a fly?

Hinata was gasping in pain, but smiled to herself. She had saved her comerades, who had once saved her before.

"Hinata!" Kiba exclaimed, relieved. Shino looked up and gave a silent, curt nod. Giving them both a small smile, Hinata leapt over to the side where she had severed the monster's arm. Wincing in pain from her ribs, she clapped her hands together and pressed them to the roof as Shino and Kiba did the same.

HYUGA-

ABURAME-

INUZUKA-

Secret of the HyAbIn Star!

A gold-studded triangle swirled around the points that Hinata, Shino, and Kiba had pressed. Almost entranced, the monster gave out a wild screech as it shackled him by the shoulders and it collapsed into the side of the road with a thunderous rocking motion.

Kazuki stood, shaken, by the fall of his "beloved" monster and whipped around to face Kurenai's trio. Although battered and bruised, they weren't beaten yet and they all wore a sort of confident smile, which disturbed Kazuki even more.

"Kiba," Shino ordered. Nodding, the boy and his dog leapt off the roof to finish off the massive creature, but not before Kazuki windswept them in midair, and they collapsed into the alley.

"I never said I was done, yet," Kazuki hissed.

"He's used up too much chakra," Shino whispered. "If the plan goes okay, it'll be over soon and we can get Sakura to heal you."

"I'm fine," Hinata said, nodding. "Don't rush to help me yet."

Blinking, Shino held out his palm as the insects crept out from under his sleeves and onto the roof.

"C'mon Kiba!" Hinata cried. Stirring slightly, Kiba shook his dazed head and picked up Akamaru. Taking the back route behind the building, he stealthily crept towards the road but not before something big, huge actually, and slimy slammed into the ground in front of him, breaking a crater into the ground. Kiba gulped and looked upward, feeling rather small.

"Oh, great."  
"Neji," TenTen gasped. "We've been alive and kicking for the past hour, and it's done nothing."

"I'm working on it!" Neji said in a pained voice. Getting his promotion as a Jounin meant nothing if he didn't take the job to heart.

His Byakugan was getting very tiring indeed.

"TenTen!" he spoke, in a ways a commander would to his subordinate. "Where is Lee?"

"WHY ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT BOWL-HEAD WHEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN LIFE TO PROTECT!" TenTen said in disbelief. What was he thinking!

"Where IS he?" Neji stated once more, ignoring her protests. They hadn't heard any of his "YOUTH NEVER WAITS!" or "KONOHA HURRICANE!" in quite a while...things weren't looking good.

"YOU'RE THE ONE WITH THE BYAKUGAN! FIGURE IT OUT!" TenTen yelled back.

Neji was slightly caught off guard by her sudden bluntness, but shook it off, remembering that well...he was the one with the prestigious bloodline. Averting his eyes away from his female comrade, he began his quick glancing search for that idiotic green teammate of his.

"LEEEEEE!" TenTen screamed out of nowhere. Neji twitched.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!"

"It's easier to hear far away than to see," TenTen shrugged. Sure enough, Lee landed on the ground in front of his partners in less than 20 seconds. He gave a sort of feeble salute, as he had received a large and nasty cut under his eye; it was swelling at a rather alarming rate.

"Uh..."

Neji and TenTen didn't know what to say. How had Lee gotten there so fast- and did he even WIN his one-on-one battle with Hirai?

"It was a clone," he said quietly after a tense moment and a few thwacks from oncoming clones. "I knocked it off the other side of the fence and it flew out to the rocks."

He gave a sad sigh, silently wishing he could have defeated his worthy Sound opponent in a more prestigious way.

Neji and TenTen looked at each other. When Lee got depressed, he really GOT depressed.

Fingering her weapon pouch, TenTen suddenly realized how hard she had been breathing and just how exhausted her muscles were.

"C'mon, Neji. You take this side, I'll take the right, and Lee can have the center."

"It's not that easy," Neji snarled. "Like Gai Junior here just told us- these are real life clones- not just simple academy graduation bunshins."

"Like we have another choice!" TenTen snapped back, flinging a kunai at an advancing clone. "These things shed actual blood- they're all REAL. And UNFORTUNATELY, NEJI, WE ARE NOT PROGRESSING IN OUR SEARCH FOR SASUKE!"

Lee glanced worriedly as his friends as their childish bickering continued to elevate.

"You guys- arguing doesn't help youth," Lee informed, breaking the tense atmosphere. Even the clones stopped attacking long enough to stare at this weird Konoha ninja. He kicked a clone away, and a plan sprung in TenTen's head.

"Lee- I have an idea!" she exclaimed, unraveling a spool of hair's width string. Neji's Byakugan eyes rolled in annoyance.

"Yes, let's all listen to you," he said, sardonically. TenTen ignored the insult, however, and unsnapping the spool, she bit the end of the string in her small mouth and unreeled it.

"Take off your calf weights," TenTen said, her teeth still clamped on to the string.

"What?" Lee said in disbelief.

"Take off the weights!" TenTen ordered. "HURRY UP, LEE!"

"But that's if I have to protect a special per-"

"WELL YOU'D BE PROTECTING US!" TenTen screamed exasperatedly. "SHUT UP AND GIVE ME THE WEIGHTS, YOU IDIOT!"

Deciding it was NOT a good time to argue with his edge-cutting teammate, he wordlessly and quickly handed the explosive weights to the kunoichi.

"What are you doing?" Neji demanded. TenTen, yet again, ignored the prodigy.

"Shut it, Hyuga," she ordered, flipping out her scroll, and taking Neji aback. Biting her thumb, she sprawled a Japanese character onto a blank space in her own blood and tore that piece off. She slid the weights onto the string, and tossed a kunai in the ground on all four corners that were surrounding the small mob of clones.

Wiping the blood off his face, Neji suddenly got the gist and smiled at Lee, who returned the gesture.

"Let's get to it, then."  
Haha...um, yeah. I know this fanfic has been on hiatus for like, the longest time ever, but uh...I haven't been really up to updating this ever since the flames, but yeah, it'd be really insensitive to delete them. But, thanks to the recent and nice reviews, I'm back on my feet! Cheers, have a good day, and PLEASE REVIEW!

Another Chapter by aNdreaa


	7. Someone to protect

Whoa...haven't updated this in like, a gazillion years. Haha, have fun and review nicely!

Chapter Seven

Someone to Protect  
"You SAY you don't need comrades," Naruto spat back at the boy who was aiming a deadly knife at his throat, "but I think you're just pretending. You can't EVER mask your real personality with this bastardlike one you're wearing now, Uchiha."

Sasuke hesitated before smirking once more.

"I see you and Haruno have completely abandoned the whole 'Sasuke-kun' act."

"THAT was no act," Sakura said, finally speaking up for herself. "Don't you dare accuse US of acting- when all along, it was going to be you who BETRAYED Konoha just for some useless power!"

Sasuke looked at her, averting his grip from Naruto, who massaged his throat to get some air.

"It wasn't useless," he stated calmly.

"So you're saying you need the power because you don't HAVE it?" Naruto provoked. Sasuke gave a deathly glare at his old comrade, but resisted in knocking him out to the solar system for the time being.

Actually, for the first time during their battle, Uchiha Sasuke was silent and out of words to say.

Sakura and Naruto raised their eyebrows in half confusion, half surprise.

"I have better things to do than to waste my time on old reunions," Sasuke said, swinging the kunai knife in his hand, and returning it to its proper pouch.

Sakura and Naruto's eyebrows were so high that they were...well...uh...much higher than normal.

"In other words- you're taking place of a boy who's too afraid to harm his friends?" Sakura demanded. Sasuke's previous sentence made her mind swarm with questions. It was almost like he didn't even want to be there, poised to kill, and fighting with Naruto.

Was there such thing as a change of heart when your mind had been poisoned with the wrong idea of righteousness for the past two years?

"You..." Naruto muttered, his eyes closed his fury. His clenched fists were slowly shaking and a bead of perspiration ran down the side of his young face. Sakura glanced at him in alarm as a blast of chakra emitted from all around him. The dirt swept up and cleared out, running into the small crevices of the alleyways between the houses.

Kyuubi Naruto was waking up.

"HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT CRAP TO US AFTER ALL WE'VE BEEN THROUGH TO DRAG YOU HOME!" Naruto bellowed, as the faint whisker markings on his cheeks grew more pronounced and firey. His ocean blue eyes turned a dangerous red and the pupils grew dilated and thin- like a fox's.

Sakura, too, was livid and angry. They had sacrificed SO MUCH for this friend- including Naruto's potential promotion to a chuunin- and the only way that Sasuke was thanking them, was to shake them off without even a respective battle!

How dare he!

Sasuke stopped, his back to his teammates. Calmly, and a little hesitantly, he said,

"Remember what happened last time, Naruto?"

They froze.

"Having your comrade attempting to kill you isn't exactly easy to forget," Naruto said, shaking.

"I need that power," Sasuke continued. "I'm not Orochimaru's pawn. I will not be his piece to play and alter so that he can obtain his control over me."

"So you're saying that if THAT'S the only way to get power, you'll go for it?" Naruto growled.

"Yes," came the flat reply.

There was that eerie silence between Team 7 once again.

"NO!" Sakura snarled. "YOU DO HAVE THE POWER-YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO RELEASE IT!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her.

"Just like Naruto," she whispered. "He would still be weak now..."

"...if he didn't have anything to protect."

Sasuke listened.

"The reason you can't defeat your brother isn't because you don't have enough hatefulness."

Naruto stopped his anger submersion long enough to glance at Sakura. Small tears had made their way down her glowing face and her eyes grew brighter.

"I remember," she began slowly, "that time after the Chuunin exam, when Gaara attacked me, you insisted for Naruto to solely focus on getting me out of the forest. You insisted that you didn't want anymore people who were precious to you- you didn't want to see them die."

Sasuke was silent.

"I know your childhood tragedy was caused by your brother!" Sakura screamed out. "But don't try to avenge your parents! It won't bring them back! That's the last thing that will ever happen! There is no jutsu, no spell, no chakra transplant, that can even come CLOSE to reviving the long, lost, dead!"

Sakura clenched her fists to keep them from trembling.

"Please..." she whispered. "Kakashi-sensei once told you that the ones who sought revenge weren't satisfied and it only ended in tragedy. He's lost many people close to him before, and we've never seen him give the slightest attempt to hunt them down."

Sasuke looked from Naruto to Sakura, who was wiping her tears.

Damn...

It was either Itachi...

...or his closest friends.

"Sakura," Naruto said. "He's not going to listen. We're going to have to beat this information into him if there's any chance of bringing him back to Tsunade."

With a flick of her wrist, Sakura wiped her tears.

"I'm ready when you are, Naruto."

Sasuke's expressionless face continued to stare them down as his black eyes glistened.

"You have no idea what I've been through," he spat at them.

"Don't pull that pity talk on us," Sakura snapped back. "You think I'm spoiled just because I have both parents alive? That's nothing near being spoiled- it's just life. You deal with what comes, and there's no turning back!"

"My parents are dead because of my brother!" Sasuke yelled. "WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW, NARUTO! I ASKED YOU THIS VERY SAME QUESTION BEFORE, BUT YOU DIDN'T ANSWER! WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT LOSING SOMEONE SO CLOSE TO YOU, YOU'D BE WILLING TO KILL YOURSELF TO HAVE THEM BACK FOR JUST AN HOUR! WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT IT!"

Naruto flinched inward as he stared at the ground, and then spoke his words.

"I know how it feels too. And so does Sakura-chan."

Sakura stared at him in slight alarm. What did he mean?

"When you left," Naruto said softly, "did you even think about the people you were hurting in the process?"

Well, Sasuke had thought about it, but not like that.

"I wouldn't know squat about having my parents die before my very eyes by the hands of an older brother," Naruto stated coldly. "But..."

"But?" Sasuke sneered.

"But at least you had the first five years of your life with them. At least you know you have a blood-related brother you've looked in the eye once. At least you got some relations. But me?"

Naruto shrugged and sort of did an awkward gesture of spreading his arms out to the side as if trying to welcome in what little he had left.

"And Sakura-chan may have both parents, but she doesn't exactly brag about them, does she? She learned her lesson when you told her off about whining about their lectures."

Sakura guiltily rubbed her forearm in cold comfort of that old memory.

"Be lucky you even had parents, Uchiha," Naruto went on. "And before you complain about your life, think of the ones who had to actually be sent to their deaths by their parents- or what Gaara had to go through being known as a monstrous freak."

Sakura tightened her forehead protector that had been braced around her pink hair.

"Winner is the right one," Naruto said, clasping his hands together in a hand seal.

"Fine with me, Uzumaki," Sasuke said, cutting his words. "Don't blame me when you find yourself bleeding to the death next to that girl."

"You should talk."  
Shikamaru spat out of the corner of his mouth and wiped his brow. Although they hadn't been physically battling, summoning a bunshin extracted a lot of their chakra. Plus, Chouji would probably last no more than another hour or so.

"I assume you have a plan," Ino said loudly.

"I SAID Plan B, didn't I?" Shikamaru said, annoyed.

"Wait, Plan B as in Triple Plan B or in Single Plan B?" Chouji said.

"Triple," Shikamaru whispered. "Get out the pills, Chouji. I hope you two are ready for some serious pain."

"I should be asking you guys that," Chouji remarked as he pulled out a small case with three pills the size of gumballs.

"Oh, c'mon," Ino started, "are you seriously going to make me swallow thos-PHRUHURGHK!"

Shikamaru had shoved one down her throat rather quickly. He took a pill, and cracked it between his teeth, feeling the bitter dust settle on his tongue with no water to wash it away.

"C'mon, Chouji. This is our final go- now or never."

"ORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Yumi readied herself with the mirrors, but Ino was too fast. She exploded forward, firing a punch at the Sound ninja, but it missed by a foot, and she slammed against the ground.

"INO!" Shikamaru yelled. "GET UP! NOW!"

"Hey," Couji whispered sharply. "The shoe."

"WHAT!"

"The shoe, you idiot!"

As he suddenly grasped the concept, Shikamaru wasted no time. Chouji went first, aiming a kick dead-on towards Yumi's head. It connected rather suddenly as she flew back. Shikamaru bit the end of a spool of thread in his mouth and then tossed it to Ino, who caught it in her bloodied fist.

"Your heel, Ino!"

She took the spool and wrapped it around the heel of her shoe six times, but before Yumi could turn to her, Ino had snapped.

"GAHHHHHHHHHH! IF SAKURA-PIG DIES BECAUSE OF ONE OF YOUR LITTLE BUDDIES, YOU ARE SO DEAD, YOU UGLY WITCH!"

"Uh..."

"..."

Ino snapped her ankle as she slammed her foot into the ground, and flung the spool of string so that it looped around one of the mirrors, just as Yumi performed another water-bullet ninjutsu.

"NO!"

The bullet ricocheted off the mirror, reversed the direction and caught Yumi square in the stomach as Chouji caught her in the neck with a rope.

"WHAT'S YOUR PLAN!" Shikamaru demanded as he had done before in the Interrogation Corps. The ninja struggled under Chouji's grip, but he was overpowering her.

Yumi spat and it hit Shikamaru in the face as he growled at her.

"You're in no position to bargain, lady," Ino said, coming up, with a hand on her waist, and breathing harshly. "My ankle's broken, thanks to you, and we really can't waste anytime on freeloading Sound ninja."

"Where is the kid named Uchiha Sasuke?" Chouji said roughly. Yumi opened her mouth in a snarl, but a piercing loud screech emitted from her open lips.

The three of them clapped their hands over their ears as the screech went on until audible words came out.

"NO! NO! OROCHIMARU-SAMA, I AM SORRY! GIVE ME TIME TO-"

Silence.

The Sound ninja collapsed to the floor as the cursed seal on her neck began to corrode in a disgustingly sickening sight. Ino retched.

"Ew."

"Shut up. C'mon, we have to drag the body to the gates."

"We have to touch it?"

"Ino! You just punched her like, fifty times already. C'mon..."

"Ouch..."

Sorry for the shortness...i think! I don't know...but yeah, please review! Don't uh...expect any uh...sooner updates. (hehehehe) I KNOW! I know...i'm really neglecting this one, but it WON'T be on hiatus, just on a break. Don't worry...breathessssssss.

By aNdreaa


	8. Leaf Prevales

Question: Have I been Neglecting this story?

Answer: DUH. I haven't updated in like, a gazillion years. I know, I know, you guys are all like, geez, when will that loser update!

Yay...I did! Be merry...sort of.

Hehehe...sorry for the long wait!

Chapter Eight

Leafs Prevail  
"KIBA! IF YOU DON'T MOVE NOW, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER CHANCE TO SEE TOMORROW MORNING!"

"SHUT UP, SHINO! STOP BEING SO NEGATIVE AND HELP ME!" Kiba yelled from below.

"Hinata, find the thinnest point in his wrists and ankles."

"Done," Hinata whispered, catching on. She pulled out four kunai and expertly flung them, as they stabbed Kazuki's monster at the designated point. The creature gave a strangled roar as it hit the ground.

"SLICE IT!" Shino yelled to Kiba once more, as Akamaru pounced.

"HINATA! USE YOUR LITTLE WATER TRICKS OR WHATEVER!"

(A/N: If anyone has seen the Naruto episode where Hinata has like, this psychological power to control the water around her, yeah, that's what I'm referring to.)

"THERE IS NONE!" Hinata screamed back. Kiba growled and then spat on the floor.

"Is that enough?" he yelled, referring to his small puddle of spit.

Gross, Kiba. Gross.

"Hey, if there's a canyon outside the exit borders of this base, there should be a river below, right?" Shino calculated. "If your mind can reach that far, can you get there?"

Hinata gasped in effort, but there was nothing.

"There's a-a river, but I can't reach it. Shino, we have to help Kiba before he dies!"

"What are you suggesting we do, then!"

Hinata flinched. Her comrades had never scorned her before, but she bit her lip.

"If you can direct him to where we are, I might be able to do something."

"Fine- KIBA! GET OVER HERE! NOW!"

Wasting no time, Kiba swung himself over a trashcan and scaling the wall, he leapt up on the roof, with Akamaru behind him.

"What's the plan?" he panted.

"DUCK! NOW!" Hinata screamed, as she pulled both of her teammates by the collar down on their stomachs.

Kazuki's monster fired three blasts at them, one to finish each of them off, but Hinata was ready.

"HINATA! GET DOWN!"

Clutching her broken ribs, Hinata gave an intake of breath to numb it up.

"One more," she whispered. "I need four..."

The neon, blinding shots from Kazuki had reached them at last, and Hinata snapped up on the balls of her feet and gracefully spun as chakra emitted from her opening points. With great precision and calucation, Hinata echoed the firings back at the monster as Kaiten whirled around her. It angled off and severed the monster's wrists and ankles, just according to their plan.

"W-Whoa..."

"GUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The scream pierced the hot air as Kazuki and the monster exploded into sparks and fire. The blast windswept Kurenai's team as they were knocked off their feet into the alley below. Hinata grabbed Akamaru off the roof as the four of them tumbled and collided into the trashcans.

"Ouch...owowowow..."

Hinata was laughing softly in triumph.

"C'mon," Shino said, trying to maintain the leader-like atmosphere he had. "We have to find the others."

"Wait," Kiba gasped, "What'd you...do!"

"Kaiten," Hinata panted. "Neji-kun helped me refine it everyday for three months."

"You call THAT Kaiten? That's more like Ultra-Sonic-Ginormous-Ultramania-Boom-"

"We get the point, Kiba," Shino cut off.  
"TenTen? Neji?" Lee said cluelessly as he watched his teammates blankly. They ignored him...as usual.

"She's doing the Dragons," Neji spoke out. "These clones are nothing like Naruto's bunshins- they're the real thing."

"But-"

"I have no idea how he's managing it, or what kind of jutsu's behind this, but if TenTen's plan goes well, we can get out of here alive."

Lee's lower lip trembled. Youthfulness! Survival! Oh, if Gai-Sensei could see how much they've grown...

"Horse, dragon, dog, snake," TenTen whispered as she clasped her hands together. "Rising Explosive Twin Dragons..."

"Lee!" Neji ordered over the shaking winds. "When I tell you- you take the weapons that TenTen's going to summon and use Bunshin to hold them in place in the ground!"

"W-WAIT!" Lee cried out. Had they forgotten? He had like, 0 percent talent in ninjutsu, so what on EARTH made them think that he'd do it now?

"C'MON, LEE!" TenTen screamed.

Lee frantically looked at their surroundings.

C'mon...gotta remember academy training...remember the seals...

"GOD- JUST DO IT FOR YOUTH!"

These words exploded from Neji and TenTen's mouth before they could savor their dignity. Lee looked up, crying from happiness and confidence.

"BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

With a small poof and a wail of "YOUTH!", Lee sprang out of the smoke and widened his eyes at his accomplishment.

Not one, not two, not three- but FIVE replicas of himself! They all raised a fist in victory, but then-

"YOU IDIOT! I SAID WHEN I SAID FOR YOU TO GO!"

...he had done it too soon. Oh well, at least he managed a ninjutsu. This was a once in a lifetime experience.

TenTen grabbed Lee's calf weights and they sunk into the kanji letters of the scroll. A loud bubbling noise issued from her hands and before anyone could blink, weapons shot out and Neji skillfully grabbed them all by hand, and summoning more shadow clones, he planted them in the deep dirt in the midst of all the clones.

"Fifteen seconds before this place blows," TenTen ordered, as she wrapped a string filled with explosives around one of Lee's bunshins.

"But...but..." Lee sputtered. After all of that hard work to make a clone- and they were just going to blow it up anyway?

"Ten seconds..."

"DO YOU WANT TO LIVE, LEE! WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR STUPID CLONES!" TenTen yelled. She grabbed him by the neck and with Neji, the three of them leapt over the alley fence just in time.

BANG.

TenTen was half laughing as she clapped her hands over her ears in victory.

Lee sighed and slumped on his back. He sure missed his clones...and his weights.

"Get over it, Lee," Neji said in a commanding voice.

"I'M SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS!" Lee sobbed, grasping his comrades in a rib-cracking hug. "YOU FINALLY REALIZED WHAT YOUTH IS ALL ABOUT!"

TenTen rolled her eyes and glanced at Neji who slightly winced at being in such close contact with a weirdo like Lee. TenTen raised an eyebrow and caught Neji's eye.

They both smiled.  
Sakura grasped her forearm to heal the wounds. She looked at Sasuke, whose eyes had already begun to harden in its own coldness. Naruto's chakra crackled the hot air and abruptly, Sakura was blown off her feet.

"NARUTO!" she screamed.

But the fox demon that had buried itself inside Naruto's soul had woken up from its deep slumber.

Sakura fingered a three-scar wound on her left arm and suddenly remembered what Captain Yamato had said about the Kyuubi.

"The more his chakra increases, the tails will increase at a faster rate...until there are nine in total. His chakra grows as his anger heightens. He loses his sense of self and anyone around him when the fourth tail forms."

A/N: For Captain Yamato, see...I think it was Chapter 284

Sakura leapt off the ground and grabbed Naruto's arm.

"Naruto," she coughed, "calm down! Anger won't get us anywhere! C'mon, Naruto...please!"

Sakura winced in pain as the boy snapped a hand around her wrist. He flung her aside, and all of the images of his trademark smile and Sasuke's scowl collided and vanished before her eyes.

Hey, Sakura-chan!

-You moron- get away from me.

Don't worry, Sakura-chan! I'll save you!

-Why should I accept teamwork from you, bonehead?

Idiot! I'm better than you!

-You're no good to me if you're just going to be a liability.

A strangled scream of frustration made its way out of Sakura's mouth as she recklessly shot back up and fired a shuriken blade at Sasuke's feet. With a crunch of dirt, it stabbed the ground as Sasuke expertly leapt to the side. Abruptly, his eyes widened as the shuriken began to smoke.

"Explosive!"

Sakura launched her hand on Naruto's shoulder and transplanted a portion of the little chakra she had left. Immediately, his bloodshot eyes grew that old Western blue and he blinked.

"Sakura-chan!"

"GET DOWN!"

A thunderous explosion formed a crater and upturned some of the rocks that had been imbedded in the ground. Sasuke remained unscathed as his unmatched speed let him pivot around Sakura and appear behind her.

"Nice, Haruno," he breathed, "if I had been caught in that, that wouldn't have made my way to victory, would it?"

Slowly, Sakura brought a hand up to her ear, and tucked a few strands of her pink hair behind it.

Sasuke blinked, as if just noticing.

"You kept it short," he said in an oddly hollow voice. Sakura was oblivious to the change in tone, but she thrust her hand in her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. Without turning around, she held it out to her side and Sasuke took it, flipping it over.

It was their very first portrait of them as Team 7. Kakashi's smile, Naruto's jealous stare, Sasuke's grimace, and Sakura's giggling face.

A look shot across Sasuke's somber face.

Naruto was at a loss for words. "I forgot about that," he whispered.

Sasuke's face twisted into a smirk as he fired an abrupt punch at the girl in front of him, but this time, Sakura was ready.

Sasuke's fist grazed her ear as she ducked and swung out her leg, but he flipped back and dodged. And hand met Sasuke's shoulder.

"Hey," Naruto said, "I don't think it's that cool to hit a girl, bastard."

Naruto's grip on Sasuke's shoulder bone quickly escalated and Sasuke's face screwed up in anger and pain. He slapped Naruto's hand away, but pain exploded in his cheek as he felt several Kage Bunshin meet their mark.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto said, cracking his knuckles, "You used to say that you didn't want to see people precious to you die ever again, right?"

Sasuke let out a laugh.

"I must've not been thinking to say something stupid like that," he said. Naruto ground his teeth.

Sakura desperately shook her head.

"SASUKE! DON'T PROVOKE HIM!"

"What'll happen if I do?" Sasuke said, an eye on Sakura's terror-stricken face.

"What did you say?" Naruto said, his eyes narrowing. Sakura screamed.

"SASUKE! DON'T DO IT!"

"What will happen if I do?" Sasuke demanded.

Sakura began to breathe faster. So, Sasuke did want to fight the full-blown fox spirit inside Naruto.

Sasuke smiled.

"Hey Naruto," he said. Sakura widened her eyes.

"Hokage's a stupid title. Only a fool would be idiotic to want to lead a pathetic country like Konoha."

Sakura screamed.  
Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn...

TO BE CONTINUED!

Lol, sorry about the whole cliff thing, but yeah. I have Spanish homework ta do, so if ya don't mind...i'll just, heh...

I'LL TRY TO UPDATE A LOT FASTER NEXT TIME!

"I do believe in faster updates, aNdreaa, I do!"

P.S. I'm obsessed with Peter Pan, by the way.

Chapter By aNdreaa


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